Countdown To Christmas With Classic Cartoon Holiday Specials - Casper's First Christmas

 

December in the 80's was a magical time of year to be a kid. Not only did we get all the fantastic toys for Christmas, but every year, throughout the holiday season, the television would segue from regularly scheduled programing to air animated holiday specials. They'd come on just late enough that it could be a family event, but early enough that we'd get to enjoy it just before bedtime.

Each half hour block was special. Perfectly crafted with just the right number of advertisements to remind us of all the toys on store shelves, the treats to be had from local restaurants and grocery stores, and all other manners of consumption in between. But at the heart of it was that cartoon which would come out of hiding just once a year, fill your eyes with wonder, bringing smiles, laughter, action, adventure, drama, but at the root of it, a classic holiday message of peace, giving, love, and joy.

It's become my own personal tradition each year to pull a holiday special off the DVD shelf each day to enjoy. It's a ritual which not only has become my way of counting down the twenty-four days of December leading up to my favorite holiday, but my way of reminding myself that no matter what's happening in the world, my day-to-day grind of work, life, health, trials, and tribulations, that for a moment, all of that can be put a side, and I can simply become a kid again, even if it's just at heart.

While I wish I could share the actual special with all of you, be it by inviting you all to my home to join me in front of the fireplace with a bowl of popcorn, sadly, that's just not feasible. However, between sites such as Youtube, Arhcive.org, Dailymotion, and Vimeo, you can probably find them to watch. Of course, for those of you so bold, you could also pick them up on DVD yourself, something I would highly recommend. If not for yourself, for your children.

Casper and his friend Hairy Scary are in a house about to be demolished on Christmas Eve and go out to look for a new place to move to after Christmas in California. Yogi and his friends get lost and arrive at Casper and Hairy's house and clean and decorate it to celebrate Christmas. Casper befriends Yogi and company only for Hairy to try to ruin the party with Casper and his new friends. Hairy has a change of heart and celebrates Christmas with Casper and his new friends and ending with Santa Claus saving the house and turning it into Hairy's Haunting Lodge.

This is the last "new" addition to my holiday rotation. However, it's quickly become one of my favorites. Mainly because it features a slew of Hanna-Barbera classic characters: Yogi Bear, Huckleberry Hound, Quick Draw McGraw, Snagglepuss, Augie Doggie, and Boo Boo. It could only have gotten better if Scooby and the gang showed up...the don't.

Wanting to get a little more holiday joy, I pulled out a couple more DVD's and enjoyed some random Christmas themed episodes. Today's picks were:

• The Town Santa Forgot
• A Christmas Story (the classic cartoon)
• Jack Frost, the 1979 Rankin / Bass classic

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Comics Corner: The Amazing Spider-Man 256

   

Title: The Amazing Spider-Man
Issue Number: 256
Release Date: September 1984

Highlights

• First appearance of Prince, Babyface, Jenna Taylor, Frankie Silvera, Ralph Mac, and Puma, AKA Thomas Fireheart
• First appearance of the locations Heartsdale, and Fireheart Enterprises Headquarters
• Reference is made to Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man 89, Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars, and The Amazing Spider-Man 253
• As Peter develops the photos from his camera, he finds himself bothered that Black Cat takes better photos than him, and considers enrolling in a few photography courses
• While picking up the photos he drops, Peter finds his backup red and blue costume in the corner of his closet
• As Peter sleeps, the symbiote suit once again takes control of his unconscious body
• Mary Jane Watson has landed a major modeling gig which will last for the next few months
• The Rose hires Puma to go after Spider-Man
• After being attacked by Puma, Spider-Man pulls his arm from the socket, and has to force it back into place

Low Points

• None

Oddities

• None

Rating (based on a 1 through 5 Stans grading system)

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Retro Spins: Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - Crush

The problem with a successful album is that it's never good enough for the label. Once you have one, they want you to top it. The expectation grows, the pressure increases, and it can become a make-or-break period for a lot of artists.

Such was the case for Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark after their 1984 album, Junk Culture. Virgin Records wanted a follow-up album, and they wanted it, "now". Keep striking while the iron was hot. Their main goal was to finally break the band in the US, which despite all of the pushing, the band did just that.

Leaders, Andy McCluskey and Paul Humphreys , wanted to take a more spontaneous approach to the writing of new material, and this turned out to be productive, with the two churning out a new song every two days. They would also bring in to new members to the fold, brother Graham and Neil Weir. With a full band in place, the album would also strip away a lot of the sound effects, in lieu of adopting a more organic instrumentation sound. Though everything was not roses. During recording, Humphreys would reach a breaking point and briefly quit the band. It was a foreshadowing of things to come, as he would ultimately leave again in 1989.

Upon its release, Crush did exactly what Virgin wanted to do. It broke O.M.D. Into the US charts with the single, So In Love, which peaked on the Billboard Hot 100 at number twenty-five. It would also become the band's first album in Canada to receive a sales certification, reaching gold status. It would also go on to be listed as one of the best, and most played releases of 1985 by CFNY-FM listeners.

Still riding my high from Junk Culture, I immediately dove into Crush, only to be greeted by the hit single. This was followed by Secret, a nice hidden gem for me, but the band's second single from the album which peaked at sixty-three on the Billboard Hot 100. This is followed by the upbeat Bloc Bloc Bloc, which I initially tuned out, but then got brought back into it when my ears heard the almost Jamaican sounds of the synthesizers and horns.

It was a hit or miss listening session for me. While it started strongly, the songs that followed were either easily forgettable, or good enough to listen to, but not necessarily memorable. The standout tracks, if you could call them that, were Woman III, and Hold You. I want to say La Femme Accident, and The Lights Are Going Out were serviceable as well, but something in my mind still wants to label them as not. As a whole, this was a disappointing album. Especially, considering how much I really liked 1984's Junk Culture. I don't know, I guess I was just expecting them to go into orbit based on the massive success of the previous.

Towards the end of 1985, John Hughes would ask O.M.D. To contribute a song to his up-and-coming film, Pretty In Pink. Initially, they provided Goddess Of Love, which was to be played during the ending of the movie. However, when test screenings resulted in negative response to the original ending, it was reshot, and a new song was needed. Within twenty-four hours, the guys presented, If You Leave. It would become their highest charting single ever, peaking at number five on the Billboard Hot 100.

Unfortunately, this massive success would not translate to the band's final album of the era, The Pacific Age, which would be critically panned. McCluskey and Humphreys would point to the label consistently pushing to have new albums, stating they were burned out, and creatively drained. The end result was an album that they felt had some good material but mostly consisted of songs that ten years prior to their release they would have been embarrassed to write and perform.

Well, I guess we'll dive into that mess tomorrow and wrap up my journey through Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark. 

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Disclaimer: They Toy Box does not endorse or contribute to piracy. Retro Spins posts are intended for educational and entertainment purposes only. None of the music discussed here is available for sale, downloading or distribution.

THIS WEEK ON THE CHARTS
December 17, 1983

 

THIS WEEK ON THE CHARTS
December 17, 1988

Countdown To Christmas With Classic Cartoon Holiday Specials - The Pink Panther In A Pink Christmas

 

December in the 80's was a magical time of year to be a kid. Not only did we get all the fantastic toys for Christmas, but every year, throughout the holiday season, the television would segue from regularly scheduled programing to air animated holiday specials. They'd come on just late enough that it could be a family event, but early enough that we'd get to enjoy it just before bedtime.

Each half hour block was special. Perfectly crafted with just the right number of advertisements to remind us of all the toys on store shelves, the treats to be had from local restaurants and grocery stores, and all other manners of consumption in between. But at the heart of it was that cartoon which would come out of hiding just once a year, fill your eyes with wonder, bringing smiles, laughter, action, adventure, drama, but at the root of it, a classic holiday message of peace, giving, love, and joy.

It's become my own personal tradition each year to pull a holiday special off the DVD shelf each day to enjoy. It's a ritual which not only has become my way of counting down the twenty-four days of December leading up to my favorite holiday, but my way of reminding myself that no matter what's happening in the world, my day-to-day grind of work, life, health, trials, and tribulations, that for a moment, all of that can be put a side, and I can simply become a kid again, even if it's just at heart.

While I wish I could share the actual special with all of you, be it by inviting you all to my home to join me in front of the fireplace with a bowl of popcorn, sadly, that's just not feasible. However, between sites such as Youtube, Arhcive.org, Dailymotion, and Vimeo, you can probably find them to watch. Of course, for those of you so bold, you could also pick them up on DVD yourself, something I would highly recommend. If not for yourself, for your children.

The Pink Panther is homeless and wandering an early-20th century big city at Christmastime. Snow is on the ground and he is very cold and hungry. The cartoon follows his efforts to obtain food while overcoming crazy holiday mayhem in town. A chance discovery of a Santa suit leads to a job in the department store as Santa, but when he takes a bite out of a little girl's gingerbread man, he is chased around the department store by its manager, from whom he narrowly escapes. Among several other attempts of finding food following this, he also attempts to earn money by shoveling the snowy stairs of a nearby house and to get himself arrested in order to get a meal in jail (a plot point borrowed from O. Henry's classic story "The Cop and the Anthem"), but his efforts are thwarted at every turn.

After witnessing a robbery attempt with a police officer nearby, Pink chases after the cop's dropped doughnut which is rolling down the street. There, a little dog who is also hungry takes the doughnut, but Pink pushes him away and takes it for himself. After seeing the look on the little dog's face and realizing that his actions are not in line with the spirit of Christmas, the Pink Panther is ashamed of himself, and shares the doughnut with the dog. Then the Pink Panther goes back to the city park and the dog follows him. Suddenly, a little tree just beside the bench they sit on (the same bench that the panther sat on at the start of the special) magically becomes covered with candles, ornaments, and a star followed by a big table with an ample Christmas dinner magically dropping from the sky. Pink looks up to see that Santa has dropped the food, a reward for the panther's act of kindness toward the dog. He shares the dinner with the little dog and they both begin eating happily.

One of the last two new ones for me is this classic Pink Panther tale. True to form for the character, there's no talking in the special, instead, it features musical queues, most of which were taken from the forthcoming (at the time) series, The All-New Pink Panther Show.

Wanting to get a little more holiday joy, I pulled out a couple more DVD's and enjoyed some random Christmas themed episodes. Today's picks were:

• Christmas Who, It's A SpongeBob Christmas, Road to Christmas, and Sandy's Country Christmas from SpongeBob Squarepants
• Koopa Klaus from the Super Mario Bros. Super Show
• The Night Before Cave Christmas from Super Mario World
• Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July, the 1979 Rankin / Bass classic

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Comics Corner: The Transformers 3

   

Title: The Transformers
Issue Number: 3
Release Date: January 1985

Highlights

• Starscream flies his prisoner, Sparkplug Witwicky to the Decepticon's base
• Megatron informs Sparkplug that he has the ability to create fuel for them
• The leader of the Decepticons makes it clear - He will help, or cease to exist
• A hidden Easter egg of US 1 driving over an overpass as the Transformers head down the road below
• Nick Fury tells Dum Dum that they need to check out Oregon, but it better not be the big green fire snortin' lizard, referencing Godzilla, a series which S.H.I.E.L.D. also appeared in
• Joe Robertson sends Peter Parker out on assignment to get photos of whatever walked off with a power plant
• The army sends out a transmission to the Decepticons that they have come to their base in peace, and are met with cluster bombs from Thundercracker and Starscream
• Spider-Man confronts Gears, and after being saved by the Autobot, accepts that they're both on the same side
• Disguised as an army solider, Spider-Man drives Hound through the closed line of army troops, leading the other Autobots with him
• Gears thinks to himself that Spider-Man reminds him of Bluestreak by the way they both seem to like to hear themselves talk
• Spider-Man and Gears infiltrate the Decepticon's base and rescue Sparkplug
• Gears is damaged greatly in the rescue from a fall from the top of the base to the bottom of the canyon, but is collected by his fellow Autobots and restored

Low Points

• Spider-Man's involvement was only a ploy to boost sales, while also using him to establish the Transformers as part of the the Marvel Universe

Oddities

• When Spider-Man drives Hound through the closed line of army troops, the soldiers ask what's up with the other vehicles going through, only for another to say, "Who cares."

Rating (based on a 1 through 5 Stans grading system)

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Retro Spins: Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - Junk Culture

Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark lost a bit of momentum with their 1983 Dazzle Ships. Its more experimental direction wasn't what the fans and critics expected, and both charts and reviews reflected this negative reception. This fanfare also didn't settle well with heir label, and O.M.D. Knew their recording deal was on the line if they didn't find a way to sell more albums.

For their 1984 follow-up, Junk Culture, the band played it safe, moving towards a more commercial sound. Work initially commenced with Andy McCluskey, and Paul Humphreys recording individual demos at their respective homes. However, the two weren't happy with the end results, and opted to regroup at Highland Studios.

One of the end results was Tesla Girls, which was briefly considered to be released as a single, but abandoned when Virgin Records insisted they stay focused on the album as a whole. Writing continued prolifically, but the band soon found themselves running out of time at the studio, causing them to have to relocate back to Europe to finish the album.

Upon its release, it didn't take Junk Culture long to enter the charts. This was mainly a result of the lead single, Locomotion, which peaked at number five in the UK. This was followed by Talking Loud And Clear, which peaked at number eleven, and finally Tesla Girls, which peaked at number twenty-one. Virgin insisted that a fourth single be released, Never Turn Away, which peaked at number seventy. 

Things kick off with the instrumental album title track, and when I heard this, I was a bit disappointed. My mind immediately said, "Come on. This is what is being touted as this amazing release from O.M.D.?" All question was them removed with the following tracks, Tesla Girls, and Locomotion, which I found quite delightful in all that delicious 80's pop goodness. 

Though track four, Apollo was passable for me, I was back to being thoroughly satisfied with Never Turn Away, and Love And Violence. There were a couple more tracks which I really dug, All Wrapped Up, and Talking Loud And Clear, but also some skippable tunes in between those. While it was definitely shaping up to be my favorite from the band, I wouldn't go so far as to say Junk Culture is perfect.

What it did do is excited me to hear their 1986 follow-up, Crush, and also made it worthwhile to pick up their albums to finally get to this point. I'm starting to see the appeal to O.M.D., and band I really missed out on in the 80's.

Unfortunately, with he success of Junk Culture, the pressure was turned up to eleven by Virgin Records who wanted a follow-up, and they wanted it, "now". Though the payoff would ultimately be worth it, in terms of sales. However, the band would start to suffer internally. 

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Disclaimer: They Toy Box does not endorse or contribute to piracy. Retro Spins posts are intended for educational and entertainment purposes only. None of the music discussed here is available for sale, downloading or distribution.

THIS WEEK ON THE CHARTS
December 16, 1989

 

Countdown To Christmas With Classic Cartoon Holiday Specials - Inspector Gadget Saves Christmas

 

December in the 80's was a magical time of year to be a kid. Not only did we get all the fantastic toys for Christmas, but every year, throughout the holiday season, the television would segue from regularly scheduled programing to air animated holiday specials. They'd come on just late enough that it could be a family event, but early enough that we'd get to enjoy it just before bedtime.

Each half hour block was special. Perfectly crafted with just the right number of advertisements to remind us of all the toys on store shelves, the treats to be had from local restaurants and grocery stores, and all other manners of consumption in between. But at the heart of it was that cartoon which would come out of hiding just once a year, fill your eyes with wonder, bringing smiles, laughter, action, adventure, drama, but at the root of it, a classic holiday message of peace, giving, love, and joy.

It's become my own personal tradition each year to pull a holiday special off the DVD shelf each day to enjoy. It's a ritual which not only has become my way of counting down the twenty-four days of December leading up to my favorite holiday, but my way of reminding myself that no matter what's happening in the world, my day-to-day grind of work, life, health, trials, and tribulations, that for a moment, all of that can be put a side, and I can simply become a kid again, even if it's just at heart.

While I wish I could share the actual special with all of you, be it by inviting you all to my home to join me in front of the fireplace with a bowl of popcorn, sadly, that's just not feasible. However, between sites such as Youtube, Arhcive.org, Dailymotion, and Vimeo, you can probably find them to watch. Of course, for those of you so bold, you could also pick them up on DVD yourself, something I would highly recommend. If not for yourself, for your children.

The Film begins at the North Pole, Santa Claus and his little elves are working on all the toys that Santa Claus will deliver at Christmastime. When Doctor Claw has managed to sneak into the toy factory and disguise himself as Santa Claus. He has also managed to install mind-control devices on all the little elves, which he then activates, and orders them to capture Santa Claus. His plan is to use the mind-controlled little elves to make defective toys, for which the world will blame Santa Claus Meanwhile, he orders his M.A.D. agents to destroy Gadget. Several attempts are made in the opening credits, all of which fail.

Meanwhile, Inspector Gadget has been going around with his Christmas doings, oblivious to the MAD agents attempting to do him in. Later, he visits the local Mall Santa Claus, actually Chief Frank Quimby, in disguise. The Chief gives Gadget a self-destructing note containing his mission.

Meanwhile, Inspector Gadget, along with Penny and Brain, heads off to the North Pole, taking with him the assumption that Doctor Claw has not made his move yet. Upon entering the factory, Gadget believes there is nothing wrong. He does not get suspicious when he is staring the disguised Doctor Claw in the face. Penny and Brain, on the other hand, are not fooled. But when they try to tell Inspector Gadget about it, he is sideswiped by a claw from the toy factory and thrown onto the conveyor belt with all the bad toys the little elves are manufacturing where Inspector Gadget sings a parody of "The Twelve Days of Christmas" using the things he winds up crashing into. When this does not finish him off (thanks to Brain), Doctor Claw instead has Inspector Gadget dropped down the manhole he dropped Santa Claus through at the beginning. There, Inspector Gadget comes upon the real Santa Claus, but arrests him, thinking this Santa Claus is the fraud.

Meanwhile, Penny is snooping around the whole factory and hides herself in a giant jack-in-the-box. Penny saw Santa’s elves destroying all of the toys. Penny calls Brain to tell him that Doctor Claw plans to ruin Christmas. Brain then reports that santa’s elves tried to eliminate Gadget, he found the real Santa and accused him of being Doctor Claw. However, the little elves find Penny and trap her in the jack-in-the-box. Penny calls Brain to tell him that she will escape somehow and he has to save Inspector Gadget.

Brain manages to snatch the keys away from Doctor Claw and open the cell where Inspector Gadget has been interrogating Santa Claus using lines of The Night Before Christmas for reference. Inspector Gadget mistakes Brain for "The Fake Santa's" Accomplice, lassos the both of them and heads off to tell the real Santa Claus he has caught the criminals. Meanwhile, Penny uses her computer book to find out how Santa’s elves are being mind controlled. Penny manages to escape and she finds herself in a place where Doctor Claw hidden Santa's real toys.

As Inspector Gadget helps the disguised Doctor Claw load the broken toys onto the sleigh, Brain springs himself and the real Santa Claus loose, and then follows Penny to the control room that Doctor Claw has left vacant. Penny deactivates the mind control on Santa’s elves, but Doctor Claw quickly gets into his jet plane and prepares to take off with the sleigh full of broken toys. But the real Santa Claus shows up with his reindeer and foils him by unhooking the sleigh from the M.A.D. Jet. Then for good measure, Gadget, still not realizing he has been helping Doctor Claw, ties the hook to a candy cane prop. Then the reindeer break up the ice behind the M.A.D. Jet, sending him drifting into the distance. After the Chief makes an appearance to congratulate Inspector Gadget and company for saving Christmas, Santa Claus gives them a ride in his sleigh.

If you don't like Don Adams and his portrayal of the loveable Inspector Gadget, there's something wrong with you. Staying true to form, Gadget foils M.A.D. with the help of his Niece Penny, and her dog, Brain, all while being completely oblivious to everything.

Wanting to get a little more holiday joy, I pulled out a couple more DVD's and enjoyed some random Christmas themed episodes. Today's picks were:

• A Very Crappy Christmas, Merry Christmas, Charlie Manson!, Mr. Hankey, the Christmas Poo, Red Sleigh Down, Santa Vs. Frosty, The Spirit of Christmas, It's Christmas in Canada, Mr. Hankey's Christmas Clasic, and Woodland Critter Christmas from South Park

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Comics Corner: The Incredible Hulk 300

   

Title: The Incredible Hulk
Issue Number: 300
Release Date: October 1984

Highlights

• First appearance of the locations the Crossroads, and Smythe's Warehouse Corporation
• Bruce Banner has lost control of the the Hulk, and is in full rage mode again
• Daredevil appears to save child from harm
• S.H.I.E.L.D. attacks from the land and air, desperately trying to stop the Hulk's rampage
• As S.H.I.E.L.D. hoverfighters napalm Hulk, he returns in kind by throwing a water tower at them, destroying their planes
• As the pilots fall from the sky unconscious, they're saved by Spider-Man's webbing net
• Doctor Strange sits on his stoop, and fills in the reader of prior events, wherein Nightmare's manipulation awoke the Hulk inside Banner's mind, and Banner gave into it, knowing the Hulk would be needed to defeat the villain - However, in doing so, he was doomed to once again be trapped by the Hulk's never ending rage
• The mayor orders the evacuation of Manhattan, and calls on the Avengers for help
• Doctor Strange uses the Orb of Agamotto to search for a world where Hulk can neither be harmed, or or harm him - In other words, he's looking for somewhere to banish him
• Human Torch tries his hand at stopping the Hulk, but his flames are extinguished by the beast's thunderous clap
• Iron Fist and Power Man, but to no good
• Iron Fist's punch is grabbed by Hulk, sending all of its power back on the hero
• Power Man, on the other hand, is punched across the city, crashing through several buildings
• The Avengers arrive on the scene - Thor, Starfox, Wanda, Vision, Captain Marvel, and Wasp
• Starfox's attempt to sooth Hulk with calmness ends up getting him punched in the face
• Vision tries to stand his ground, but is smashed so hard he bores deep into the Earth
• Doctor Strange banishes Hulk to not one, but many worlds, where he tells Hulk he can seek out whatever happiness he wants

Low Points

• Action packed, but dull if you're not a fan of Hulk
• Spider-Man is limited to just a couple pages, and only to save pilots

Oddities

• None

Rating (based on a 1 through 5 Stans grading system)

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Living Vicariously Through My Brother - Tower Records Japan

After his initial trip to Tower Records in Tokyo Japan, my brother made his way back there. Partially because he was going to grab a few more things, and also to take a whole bunch of photos.

 

I talked a little about the place the other day, but without the visual aspect to go along with it, I could only speculate that this was the type of place I could spend hours in. After now seeing everything, I take it back. I could spend the whole day there.

With eight floors, there's a ton of stuff to look through, and a lot of potential things to buy.

FLOOR NUMBER 1 - NEW RELEASES & RECOMMENDS

FLOOR NUMBER 2 - TOWER RECORDS CAFE

Apparently the café was closed.

FLOOR NUMBER 3 - J-POP, J-INDIE, J-HIPHOP, CITY POP

FLOOR NUMBER 4 - GAME MUSIC, VOCALOID, VTUBER

FLOOR NUMBER 5 - K-POP,  EVENT VENUE

FLOOR NUMBER 6 - TOWER VINYL

FLOOR NUMBER 7 - ROCK, HR / HM, SOUL, HIPHOP, CLUB, JAZZ, WORLD, REGGAE, BLUES / COUNTRY, NEW AGE, SOUNDTRACK, MOVIE

The majority of my time would be spent on this floor.

FLOOR NUMBER 8 - CLASSICAL

In addition to this massive store, he found two other smaller Tower shops around Japan. I don't have a photo of both of the other locations, but I do have one.

Much like the above larger store, I could spend a lot of time (and money) here.

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